


Farewell And Adieu To You

by PlagueChan



Category: Jaws (Movies)
Genre: AU, Am I seriously the only one who ships this ship?, Anal Sex, Angst and Feels, Angst and Fluff and Smut, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Blood, Fluff and Angst, Hospital, M/M, Male Slash, NSFW, Oral Sex, alternative universe
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-09
Updated: 2019-06-09
Packaged: 2020-02-28 22:20:27
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,704
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18765421
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PlagueChan/pseuds/PlagueChan
Summary: After escaping death itself, Quint finds himself to the road to recovery. With Matt Hooper continuing his stay on the island, the two develop a special bond as time goes on.





	1. Cheating Death

**Author's Note:**

> A'right a'right a'right, I know that I have so many things get done as far as other Fanfics that need to be written or complete I just ... REALLY wanted to write a 3 chapter long fic with these two because the ship is completely underrated (along with no fic in sight of these two) I wanted to change that c: Plus it's a good break for me. I hope ya'll enjoy it regardless~ Also idk why I do some of these fics in a "happier" au but it is what it is but I'm a sucker for happier endings for ships mm'kay?

_Farewell and adieu to you,_

_fair Spanish ladies_

_Farewell and adieu,_

_you ladies of Spain._

_For we've received orders for to sail back to Boston_

_And so nevermore shall we see you again._

The faint smell of fresh blood reaching the Chief’s nose. By some miracle that the shark had released the fisherman from it’s powerful sharp grip. The chief trying to get himself together physically and mentally as he holds the unconscious burly man to prevent from the monstrous shark to make its move again which could cost both their lives. Brody didn’t know of where Hooper was. If he was dead or just in hiding in the coral reefs below them, but for now he was trying to figure out ways on how to deal with this problem currently.

God, Quint was losing so much blood it was sure to gain attraction of the relentless beast. What could he do? What should he do?

“Just leave me, chief. The bastard will be comin’ back … just to finish off the job.” Quint groggily said, defeated.

“Don’t say that. Where the hell is Hooper?!” Brody replied almost sounding frantic.

Of all the things that could go down, this had to happen. The worst part about it is waiting for something to happen. Time was extremely precious at the moment with the Orca slowly sinking and Quint losing blood. The water not being much of help as it prevented the deep wounds from clotting or to bare with the pain. If Brody could get Quint on a solid surface he could possibly bandage his wounds up with something or at least do whatever he could to apply pressure to slow down the flow of blood. Maybe there were a few barrels and some boards to keep them afloat.

It was all just swift thinking that could possibly waste more time, but it was the only thing that Brody could really think of. To keep this man alive was his top priority now. He’ll use all of his strength to fight off the shark if he needed to.

“When I go down, Chief, take care of Hooper. He’s a good one, when he’s not muttering over god knows what.” Quint lets out a soft chuckle, “When this would be all over, I would’ve liked to have another drink or two with the college boy. Seems that he doesn’t live life very much, …”

Brody could only listen with no response given. Thinking at this point that he’s become delirious at this point.

“Take care of ‘im, …” 

Slowly closing his eyes, the sound of Brody calling his name countless times got quieter and quieter as those tired eyes came to a close. If this was death, it certainly felt peaceful. It was cold, it was warm, it … was something. It was true of what they say of the flash flood of memories coming alight in his vision. Many of them nothing really special to relook into, many painful to remember to downright traumatic, and then there comes the face of the Oceanographer. The smart-mouthed college boy that had always put in his own two cents no matter what of the situation would be. From facts of sharks to downright trying to win an argument him and Quint would get into before Brody would break it off. Some that would happen naturally, and some that Quint would start on purpose just to see how far he could push Hooper. To have him fight back was amusing if not adorable. No fists would be involved, just using sharp tongues to get on each others nerves.

That one night he could remember.

The one where they were taking shot after shot of the brown liquor to sharing stories and singing little songs to brush off the anxiety. Right until the shark would start ruining the short-lived carefree attitudes of the men inside of Orca causing them all to be on high alert. Quint stayed outside of the cabin to keep on the lookout in case the swimming tyrant wanted to come back.

How could he forget ..?

_“You keep being out here you’re gonna fall asleep.” Hooper came outside, having to only rely on his sense of touch and the light of the moon to guide his way to Quint. “I’m serious, you’re gonna fall in the water.”_

_“You’d be surprised on how often I do this, college boy. Nothing that you should put that pretty little head of yours to worry.” Quint kept his attention on the ocean, fishing rod in hand. “You’re not careful on where you step on here and you’ll be the one to be slippin’ off and joinin’ the sea devil.”_

_Hooper harshly gulped as he held on tight to the metal railing. If he had all of his equipment back on the island, he probably would’ve felt safer. However, this was all being done in Quint’s way. Less technology and all being based on traditional instincts of a fisherman that has dealt with more marine life than Hooper can ever dream of. As annoying as that is to take in, it was true._

_“You sure you don’t want to come inside?” Hooper asked once more, almost sounding lonesome._

_“Isn’t Brody in there?”_

_“Asleep. Well, more like passed out. More or less, …”_

_“Mmm, …”_

_An awkward silence came between them. It seems that the shark became completely disinterested in taking whatever bait that Quint had set up for it. Perhaps this was all some sort of odd game of cat and mouse of which sounds completely ridiculous. Sharks don’t calculate nor premeditated plans like this when it comes to humans, but this one certainly was no ordinary shark. It was an abnormal size, and had a ravenous appetite for blood. Completely unhinged._

_It had the fisherman to began to question his confidence. His pride to be partially bruised as if the shark had made a fool of him. How great he had made himself to be. Now it seems that he’ll have to step up his game if he’s ever going to catch it._

_With his ears catching the footsteps of the young man that made his way to the cabin, he figured he can turn in too. All of them would have to be up bright and early not only to get themselves ready, but to also check on the engine._

_Inside, Hooper had gotten himself comfortable on the lounging couch around the table in the center as he had seemed pretty exhausted himself. Looked to be half-asleep. Quint couldn’t help but smile to himself. The hair on the college boy was soft to the touch, gently coiling one of the locks around his finger. Hooper was one that owned a frail body, but he had a strong mind … and a running mouth to top it all. Quint couldn’t really say, but being around Hooper made him feel young in a sense. He had always had been on his own adventures living through his own thrills, but as most people do being independent, it gets lonely. Quint can hardly tolerate anybody. Hell, it was a pain in the ass to interact with the smart-ass college boy. Aftertime sharing their small stories with one another, he had gotten himself to where there was a ball of attachment growing inside of him. Just being around Hooper made him smile continuously. The two spending time along together to where Brody was starting to notice it._

_Not that it was much of a surprise, but it was becoming a tad aggravating that the two were becoming so oblivious to their own flirting that it was sometimes painful to watch. It would come to rolling eyes or even just an occasional groan. As a married man, he’s very familiar he had seen this all before._

_With the two being equally stubborn and too caught up on their own pride, it’s no wonder it only adds to their oblivious nature._

_“Sleep tight, college boy …” Quint whispers as he joins Hooper by his side, placing his head on his crossed forearms on the table before he could drift into a peaceful slumber._

_…._   
_….._   
_…. Int?_

_…._

_…_

_…_

_Quint?_

The sound of a repetitive beeping of a monitor was the first thing to come to Quint’s hearing before he could open his eyes.

“Holy shit, …” Brody swore under his breath as he got up from his seat. “Son of a bitch pulled through.”

“Q-Quint, …” Hooper whimpered, clutching the fishermen’s thick hand into his. “Oh thank god.”

The more that Quint came to, the more heavy his body became. It was like his entire body was made out of lead. His eyes the only thing that he could really move at a decent pace at the moment as he eyed Brody and then to Hooper who had looked like he had seen better days. The bags under his eyes darker and his mustache and beard seemed to have grown bigger as if he stopped trimming god knows when.

“I-I, .. well, you might be wondering w-why you’re here, right?” Hooper says, his voice shaky accompanied with a small smile. “F-funny story, actually.”

“Hooper, …” Brody walked on over to him placing a hand on his shoulder as if to warn him not to strain himself emotionally.

“When I dropped the injection with the p-poison in it, the shark kept coming at me t-to where I hid as soon as I got out of the cage. Scared out of my mind, really. I found it as soon as I thought it was clear to make the shot, and took the opportunity when I saw that … it was distracted.”

By distracted, he meant by Quint having the sharks teeth being busy sinking its teeth into his flesh. Even in underwater, Hooper could’ve sworn that he heard the blood-curdling screams of the fisherman in mind-sheering pain.

“I plunged the injection as hard as I could. Multiple times.” Hooper lowers his head, “It struggled for a while before the poison could take effect. W-when I got back to the surface, I saw that Brody was strugglin’ to ….. Keep you from ….”

The hand that Hooper was holding soon started to cup his cheek in a gentle matter. Those tired blue eyes from Quint saying how he doesn’t need to say anymore which caused Hooper to go into his breaking point. The tears that he had held back days on end had finally let loose. The soft sounds of sobbing filled the room along with the heart monitor beeping as it showed 


	2. Pride n' Guilt

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oof this chapter took a while and I'll admit this is one of the longest chapters TvT and the last one will probably be longer than this one HOOWEE

Days of what seemed to be an eternity have passed in the hospital. Quint was on the right road to recovery even if he had tried numerous times to exit out of the hospital on his own and was stopped by either one of the nurses or Hooper to lay back down until he was properly discharged. The surgeon properly disinfected and stitched up the wounds cleanly, he had advised both Brody and Hooper that he’ll need to take certain amount of antibiotics at certain periods once he’s out. Hooper volunteered to take the responsibility if Quint had ever forgot or simply just doesn’t want to take the medicine, he’ll be there to make sure that he does.

As the news had went around that the shark is now dead, there had been plans of celebration for the heros. As pleasant as that sounded, both Brody and Hooper were on edge for the old fisherman. They were confident enough for him to recover in a physical sense, but were more worried on how he was feeling after practically going through a near-death experience. How a few more ferocious bites from the blood-thirsty jaws of the monstrous shark could’ve been the end of him. How close it was to dig it’s dagger-sharp teeth into his abdomen … it would’ve been over from there on out. Both of them setting aside their own traumatic experiences and putting Quint first even if it began to worry others.

Brody’s wife, Ellen, was more than happy that her husband had come home to her and his son’s safe and sound. She was ecstatic. Above all to hear that the shark that had caused the island such sheer terror ever since the past attacks were now over. As Brody was just as happy to see his wife and kids again, there was still that lingering worry. He had talked about it to his wife who had listened through it all and showed her support. Reassuring him that she was there when he needed him, it gave him a peace of mind.

It can’t be the same for Hooper. Even with Brody sharing his experiences with him, it can only give him some amount of comfort as he was at a place where he knew nobody. Thus creating a hole of loneliness and anxiety in his chest that he wasn’t used to. He was a man that knew how to figure out things logically. The knowledge of all things can be explained through scientific logic and reason was his way to beat any sense of doubt that his emotions would throw at him.

For the first time, … he was lost. He was confused. He was in a state of emotional and mental wreck. It was also the weight of guilt that had guided down that hole in his chest to the pit of his stomach of which made him feel absolutely sick. Hooper couldn’t eat. He couldn’t sleep very well. It didn’t help that sleeping on the couch in Brody’s home he would faintly hear the sound of the ocean waves making him feel anxious all over again thinking that he was asleep in the Orca’s cabin. Waking up in cold sweat had become the norm ever since they’ve reached the island.

The feeling of being submerged in the icy waters of the ocean. His body completely bare and unprotected without any swim gear or an air tank to keep himself from drowning. The aching feeling of lack of oxygen reaching his lungs as he tried to scream but nothing but a faint whisper was all he could muster from his throat. What was worse was how the sensation of the sharks presence was near without it being in his line of sight. The shock waves of paranoia in his head tempting him to not look the other direction to avoid being met by rows of flesh-ripping teeth along with the abyss of the shark’s gullet swallowing him whole.

Luckily, he would violently sit up on the couch before he could see it. Laying back down on the couch as he cuddled up onto the blankets given by Brody’s wife. Hiding his entire body underneath like a terrified child after a nightmare before he could stuff his face into the soft pillow and cry quietly before it could lull him to sleep.

The next morning Hooper would be the last one to wake up. Especially due to how noisy Brody’s kids are, it was hard to sleep in more or how his appetite would cause his stomach to restrict painfully.

“Good morning.” Ellen said in a motherly tone as she stood outside of the living room entrance with her arms crossed. “Did you sleep well?”

“Mmm, not really, no.” Hooper runs his fingers through his face and eyes before he could reach for his glasses.

Ellen gave him a sympathetic expression as she walked towards him and sat across from him.

“Is the couch too hard?” Ellen asked, “Or … it could be the ocean outside. It gets rather noisy at night with all the critters and the waves and what not.”

With a shake of his head, he mentally wishes it was those things, but it wasn’t.

“N-No, just ….. Didn’t sleep good.” Hooper answered briefly.

The sympathetic expression quickly turned into doubt with her eyebrow rose as she knows that was a lie. She’ll give him the benefit of the doubt that both her husband, Hooper, along with Quint have been through a lot and she was sure that they all were going through it very differently. Much like Brody, she wanted to help Hooper. With him was one of the very few people that had helped Brody throughout the entire shark fiasco before they could sail out and exterminate it. For that, she will do what she can to help them.

“Now, Now, there’s no need to lie here, Mr. Hooper. I know that you and Martin had gone through a lot. He had … told me of what happened, and I can’t honestly imagine of what you and Quint must’ve gone through. I really can’t, ….”

The name Quint made his stomach feel queasy. His appetite long gone as his body began to slouch more.

“But please know that we’re here for you. We can’t provide much, but we’ll do what we can to help. And I mean that.”

The pure kind and genuine words from Ellen almost made Hooper want to cry all over again, and he had done plenty last night when being awoken from his nightmare. The redness of his eyes could make it an easy giveaway but he could easily use the “lack of sleep excuse” if he wanted to. It was half the truth, but half a lie of which he didn’t want to say out of shame.

“Thank you.” Was all that Hooper could really say.

As much as Ellen wanted to hear more from Hooper, she didn’t want to keep prying and give him a bit more time. With a soft hum, she gets up from the chair and heads to the kitchen.

“There’s still some left over breakfast if you would like. If you want I can put it in the refrigerator if you would like to eat it later.” Ellen insists, calling from the kitchen.

“Y-Yeah, that would be fine. I have to head on out anyways.”

In all honesty, he could use a shower. With his pale skin itching from the cold sweat last night it would be good to wash it off. Plus, a shower would be good for him mentally. To be able to get his barrens and to have himself think rationally again.

~~~

With the afternoon running around, it would be a matter of time until Hooper and Brody would go to the hospital to visit their fisherman friend before visiting hours are over. They had more than a few hours to spare, Brody wanted to be absolutely sure that Quint was holding up alright. He had a deep suspicious feeling that Hooper wasn’t doing so hot as he’d been quiet for a while now which had him worried. Not that he wasn’t expecting Hooper to take everything well and dandy of what happened, but in a sense felt as if he was avoiding something … or someone. Even when Brody would mention of going to the hospital, he noticed Hooper’s body language along with his expressions that spoke of guilt and sadness. Brody knew that they aren’t considered to be close friends, but that doesn’t mean that he doesn’t care for his well being.

Making their reach to the hospital, Hooper suddenly stops before they could enter through the doors.

“Brody, I ... “ Hooper swallows hard, “I don’t think I can go and see him. Not today.”

Hearing those words, Brody turned himself around facing Hooper.

“What? Why not?” He replied, brows furrowing.

Looking down, Hooper didn’t know of what he should say to explain himself. It sounded so stupid in his head which adds to the fear of speaking of what’s wrong. Would Brody judge him if he told him? What if he called him out on it or laugh at how ridiculous it is? Hooper shouldn’t have to feel this paranoid towards the guy that had been through the same traumatic experience as he did, so … why was he afraid?

“Look, Hooper, I seriously have no idea of what’s wrong, but you really need to say something. I mean, you’re not trying to avoid Quint are ya?”

“Wha-- N-No! I, … I’m not I just ….” Hooper eyes shot up, his words stammering.

Feeling defeated and exhausted, Hooper just shook his head and continued walking towards the door.

“Forget it, nevermind.” He said under his breath.

It baffled Brody to where he couldn’t move for almost a solid minute before he could catch up to Hooper as they make their way to the front desk.

“Ah, Mr. Brody and Mr. Hooper, it’s good to see you back here. Mr. Quint has been very fussy and ancsey today, so seeing you two would most likely to calm him down.” The receptionist smiled, “And maybe have him swallow his medication for once.”

Brody couldn’t help himself but chuckle. As the doctor explained yesterday with having to take his antibiotics and what not it seemed pretty typical for Quint to keep up with his relentless stubbornness clouding his better judgement. Though Brody was hoping that he was willing to keep up as far as managing it all with the current state that he is. He wouldn’t mind shifting the responsibility, but … he could only hope that Hooper would get his act together.

“W-when do you think that they’ll l-let him go?” Hooper asked, vulnerability apparent in his voice.

“Mmmmm, I believe that the doctors said that they’ll discharge him tomorrow. They’ve checked his wounds and seemed that he’s been making a successful recovery. Mr. Quint seems like the type to quickly shrug off most pains and aches.” The receptionist says, “You can go right ahead gentlemen.”

They both thanked her and made the way towards Quint’s room. With Brody taking the lead, Hooper was slightly behind with his head weighted with stress. His heart pumping hard and a lump forming in his throat. The queasiness swarming in his stomach with his hands sweating terribly.

What a-am I doing here ..?

Why am I here …?

I-I can’t see him.

I can’t be here.

I .. I want to go back.

I want to go home.

I, ….

“Hey, you want to go in first?”

Startled, Hooper gasps as they were already at the door.

Shit.

Well, they might as well get this over and done with. Without saying anything, Hooper nodded and knocked on the door before he could open the door.

“Q-quint?” He poked his head inside. “Ya in here?”

Looking inside, Hooper can see Quint having his head towards the window of which had the view of the docks along with the calm ocean. The sun’s reflection of the water flickering beautifully with the boats rocking back and forth. Despite everything, he missed going outside. He missed being out on the ocean. He wanted to get out of this building.

Turning his head towards the peeping oceanographer, he shared a smile and motioned his hand for them to come in.

“Evenin’ college boy, chief …” Quint yawns, watching the two men come inside his room with Brody being the last to close the door. “Did ya both here ‘bout the news?”

“The---? Oh, yeah, yeah. They’ll be letting you go tomorrow.” Hooper sits down on the chair next to the bed, keeping his gaze away from Quint.

Brody shared an expression towards Quint that read that he didn’t know what was going on with Hooper. Quint blinked as he was expecting for the younger male to be more excited of his release. As slightly disappointed as he was, he was happy that Hooper was here regardless.

“I’m gonna go get a cup of coffee from the break room, I’ll be right back.” Brody says, “You both need anything?”

“J-Just water, thanks.” Hooper lifted his head up to reply before dropping it back down.

“Nothin’ for me, Chief. Had plenty enough as it is today especially with the staff practically keeping patrol of everythin’ I consume.” Quint shakes his head, “You go on ahead.”

With a nod, Brody let the two alone as he made his way to the break room to get what he needed. There only came an uncomfortable silence as Hooper couldn’t dare to look at the fisherman with those anxious eyes of his. It was only a matter of time before he could try to mentally shift himself into thinking that everything was alright, but it would eventually weight on him later. Hooper knew himself that he wasn’t a good liar. If Ellen was able to pick it up then so will Quint. Feeling trapped in his own mental cage was terrifying. How the urge to scream and cry were swelling painfully in his head and chest as he started to visibly shake. Drooping his head down into his hands, Hooper feels something warm on his back making him flinch.

“College boy, I know you have the tendency to speak of what your mouth can’t handle, but given the previous circumstances I know that it’s been difficult. However, ….” Quint paused before he moved himself from the bed, grabbing a nearby chair and sitting in front of Hooper. “I have been noticin’ that your visits have been cut short. Any reason why that is?”

“Q-quint, you really shouldn’t strain yourse--” Hooper was cut off by Quint’s finger on his lips.

“Stop. It doesn’t take someone as old as I am to know that it’s more than the aftermath and what not. You’ve been avoidin’ me, ..” Quint says, his ending words filled with hurt. “For whatever reason, I don’t know. That’s why you gotta drop this act or whatever is ten feet up your ass. Either you come clean or don’t bother showin’ your sorry ass here again.”

Now, that’s just not fair.

Hooper’s jaw clenched tightly as the words from the man he thought would die because of him stung. In a blunt sense, Quint had no time for situations that dealt with heavy emotional baggage. Stating his mind was his natural talent whether people would hate him or not. No thought goes unsaid and he wasn’t afraid to say so. Creating no mental weight whatsoever which is essential for all his time fishing out in the open sea with a clear mind. Hooper knew this with the time that they had spent on the Orca together. Though it doesn’t stop him from the growing agitation and hurt to where Hooper couldn’t sit there and take it.

“ _Fuck you_ , Quint.” Hooper shot glare of daggers towards other, “You don’t get to say that when you don’t know shit.”

Cocking an eyebrow, Quint’s tired eyes gleamed as he was finally getting somewhere with him.

“And what exactly do I not get, Hooper?”

Of all the things he wanted to say. Of all the tears he wanted to burst out from his blood-shot eyes. Of all the guilt, ….. He couldn’t take it anymore.

“I, …. I just ….” Hooper stammers, grasped hands beginning to sweat. “I c-can’t take this anymore. Everytime that I look at you, Quint, I can’t help myself but feel guilty. How I would think that you wouldn’t recover and suddenly die because of me. I-It’s all my fault, …”

His eyes burn with the tears streaming down his cheeks to his beard. With a sniffle, he wiped the tears from his eyes with his sleeve as he awaited an response from Quint. From the looks of it, the older man had an expression that spoke utter confusion. Eyes squinting at the blubbering younger male he could only shake his head.

“Jesus H. Christ, ….” Quint mumbled, “What in god’s name are you talkin’ about?”

“The _shark_ , Quint! The reason why you’re injured because of me!”

There it is.

“I swam away like a goddamn coward when that shark broke me loose of the cage! I dropped the injection that was filled with the poison and I, ….” Hooper stopped to catch his breath, hands trembling like mad. “I-I heard you. E-even submerged I heard your screams. My mind just completely froze until what felt like an eternity, I snapped out of it and grabbed the injection. I stabbed that thing more times than I can count. I-I couldn’t tell you how relieved I was when I saw the shark release you and eventually croaked.”

As Hooper spoke, his tone got calmer and melancholic. Heavy words added the more Hooper spoke of which Quint respectfully didn’t interrupt. Even when the oceanographer was finished, Quint heard a “but” in there of which he stayed quiet till he was done.

“I came up to the surface and … god, Quint there was so much blood. Y-Your blood.” A sour taste occured in Hooper’s mouth like a pill dissolving on his tongue. “I saw how much Martin panicked. From right then and there all I can really think of is just settling you on a thick board large enough for you just so we can push you to shore. For how you managed to survive, I’ll never know.”

It had to be pure luck if not the fact of how strong Quint’s will is to survive until the very end. He was the last survivor of the USS Indianapolis ship that learned that you can fight to survive or die trying. Dealing with a shark that was completely out of the ordinary was an unexpected turn for Quint’s usual arrogant exterior that it brought out the fear that he had felt years ago. It also brought shame that Hooper had to hear him like that, worse that he had to see him in a state that no other man should have to witness. Quint had his fair share of guilt that he wouldn’t admit, but hearing Hooper right at this moment, it made his heart ache.

“Right after everything, right after I sit down and rewind of just happened it occured to me that if hadn’t dropped the injection … this wouldn’t have happened in the first place. You, … wouldn’t have gotten hurt, …” Hooper’s eyes glistened as he looked into Quint’s, “I’m sorry.”

If he had more of the mental strength Hooper could apologize a hundred times more. Drooping his head back down, he was expecting Quint to become enraged with him. Anything at all that would express disgust and pure anger understandably towards the younger male and he would be fine with it. He had every right to be in Hooper’s perspective.

What Hooper didn’t expect was Quint’s fingers to slide delicately under Hooper’s chin to lift it up for their eyes to meet again. Hooper gulped hard with his heart skipping a beat, his mouth gaped with no words to exchange to the other.

“You haven’t gotten the closure you needed, did you?” Quint questions sincerely, “C’mere, …”

With the hand that had it’s index finger and thumb coiled around Hooper’s chin were now around his arm to yank him close to what seems to be an embrace. It was strange for Hooper, but he didn’t care. How invitingly warm Quint is was enough to calm his chilled trembling body. Even settling his forehead down on Quint’s shoulder seemed to aid his nerves.

“Do you remember when I told you about the Indianapolis?” Quint said, his hot breath on the shell of his ear.

“Y-yeah, vaguely.”

Being as drunk as they were during the time of Quint’s speech, Hooper was able to remember bits and pieces of what he was talking about as soon as they sobered up from the shark violently ramming itself against the boat.

“Well, I will say when each of the crew around me were being torn apart by the thirteen footers one by one. Their screams is all I could hear. The foul smell of blood all around us before it was only me. To this day I often think of what I could’ve done to possibly save a man or two, but we were all too succumbed by fear to defend ourselves but to huddle to each other. It was all we could do, Hooper.”

Even with of what was left of the ship wouldn’t have been enough to properly defend themselves from the hungry-ridden maw of the carnivorous beings that ripped them apart one by one. It had all happened in front of Quint’s eyes.

“My point be here, Hooper, you got nothin’ to be sorry for. Even with the shark takin’ hold of me it wouldn’t be your fault,” Quint tightens his arms around the other, “So, enough with this hidin’ and cryin’. You’re scarin’ the shit out of Chief.”

Hooper managed to get a chuckle out as it was true. It was more than apparent that Brody was more than worried for him and he was at a total lost of what he needed to do. This is exactly what he needed. Assertiveness and the right amount of reassurance from the very fisherman that had always bad-mouthed him or intentionally wanted to get under his skin. As if right now, Hooper’s immense weight of guilt had disperse leaving him to feel like a numb puddle on the ground. He was tired, but it felt good to hear it from the man that faced death itself.

“T-Thanks, Quint. It … really means a lot hearing from you.” Hooper rests his eyes, “It’s been one hell of a week.”

“Ain’t gotta be thankin’ me for nothin’. Just didn’t want you to continue havin’ your head up your ass by the time that I make my way out of here tomorrow.” Quint tittered, “Can’t wait to get the hell out of here as far as I’m concerned.”

“Trust me, we’re excited to have you out.” Hooper laughs softly as he slowly pulls himself away, “All in all, I’m happy that you’re okay.”

With all this being said, both of the men fell silent with Quint being the first to make a physical move with his burly hand moving towards Hooper’s damp cheek and cupping it delicately into it. Nuzzling against the palm gently, Hooper placed his own on top of Quint’s as a calm sigh exhales through his nose.

Nothing in Quint’s mind could really explain on why his heart skipping a beat or the sudden rush of warmth from skin to skin with the contact of Hooper’s cheek. From one being used to the harsh beating rays of the sun to his tanned skin, this was a specific warmth that came with sentimental tenderness.

Tomorrow should be interesting.

 


End file.
